


Bleed For Me

by MisfitArtist



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: But mostly fluff and drama, But yeah it will probably get smutty, Dovahkiin is the thieves guild master, Drama, Escaping responsibilities, F/F, Might get smutty, Serana has had enough of her father's crap, Slow Burn-ish, werewolf Dovahkiin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-04 04:33:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12161616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisfitArtist/pseuds/MisfitArtist
Summary: When Arslan found out she was the "Dragonborn" she did what every sane, law abiding citizen would do; she quit her position in her guild and fled Riften as well as her responsabilities as slayer of the World Eater Alduin.Her plan was to leave this cold land and start a new life somewhere, but when she stumbles upon one lost vampire, well...She might just think twice about leaving Skyrim after all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! First Skyrim story so enjoy and don't hesitate to give me a few pointers ! 
> 
> Good reading!

* * *

 

 

****

**_Dragonborn!_ **

**_Please we need your help!_ **

**_Save us dragonborn!_ **

**_You can't just leave!_ **

**_It's your duty to save us!_ **

**_Dragonborn ..._ **

 

**_Dragonborndragonborndragonborndragonborn-_ **

 

“STOP IT, SHUT UP!” The young imperial girl cried out as she spang up from her bedroll. Her body was drenched in cold sweat and she felt her stomach clench as she tried to resist the urge to empty it’s insides on the forest’s ground.

Her breathing was rapid and uncontrolled as she took in her surroundings. Trees and rocky mountainsides were barely recognisable under the dim light of the moon.

The moon.

Scarlet and full, the red making it look like it's would start bleeding down unto the earth, pouring down blood upon their meaningless lives. Purification of the sins they committed.

That she committed.

Her blood feels rotten.

The wind picks up and the ashes from the previously burning fire rise and fly into the young girl's brown eyes. She recoils and tries to wipe them away but stops when she hears voices in the distance.

“...Dragonborn! Where... you...”

Eyes still closed, she feels around for her water can, the enchantment on it keeping the liquid from freezing during Skyrim’s cold nights.

Upon touching the rough leather near her makeshift bed, she unscrews the waterskin and dumps part of it's content on top of her short black hair, waking herself up further, rubbing the cold water into her eyes, cleansing the ashes out.  

The voices are getting closer. She opens her eyes and destroys the put out fire place by kicking the stones and ashes away until it's unrecognizable from afar.

She quickly rolls up her small bedroll and clasps it onto her backpack, after that she puts on the worn thick leather armor that laid next to the bag.

The only reminder she had of her life before becoming this wretched _dragonborn_.

When all she had was a group of thieves as family and chests full of jewels to keep her company at night.

Now she had _this_.

Literally spending her life running away from fulfilling her _destiny._

Destiny doesn't exist.

Everyone is responsible for his own life, it's not her _destiny_ to help every poor soul who can't stand on their own two legs.

She made herself a life from _nothing._

_And I will do it again once I get to Dawnstar and catch a ride. Maybe Elsweyr, the cold here is starting to get on my nerves._

So why should they get help when she didn't? And she had it worse then them too.

The voices are getting clear now.

_“Dragonborn!”_

_“Please come back!”_

_“You have to help us!”_

_“You're our only hope!”_

They wanted her head on a spike not even a month ago and now she is their _hope?_

Resisting the urge to laugh at the irony, she puts on her backpack and makes her way towards the nearest mountains, her feet sinking deep into the snow once she reaches a trail leading up the side of the mountains.

If she remembers correctly she must be near a cave called Dimhollow Ruin or something of the sorts. She made halts there a few times when she had stolen something especially worthy and had to lay low for a few days before moving back to Riften.

Moving through the snow she feels the wind pick up once again, making her almost lose her footing.

A blizzard.

 _Perfect_. The young girl thought as she heard the voices getting lost in the howling winds.

Light in the distance made her stop briefly before she resumed her fight against mother nature.

She reached the cave moments before the blizzard came in full force. The men would surely have lost her trail in this weather.

She picked up a burning torch before entering the dim cave, making sure the search party would not find this place and seek refuge in here like she did.

Though her victory was cut short. Beneath her feet were traces of fresh blood.

More voices.

Low and cruel, like rust on an open wound.

She could smell them.

Vampires. Two of them.

And dogs, death hounds.

And a corpse.

She knew they found her when their speaking stopped abruptly.  

She had been silent, her enchanted boots made sure of that, but they could smell her _too_.

She readied her magic, channelling her inner flames making them almost burst from her hands as she waited for the right moment. One hand laid on the handle of her ebony sword. An enchantment on it made sure to absorb and release her flames for maximum damage.

She counted their steps.

_One two three four_

_Five six seven_

A few meters left. They were almost rounding the wall where she hid.

_Eight_

_Nine_

_Ten_

Flames burst from the girl in a tornado of heat and fire, making the vampires scream in pain as their skin melted and their clothes burned away. She stood up, encircled by her flames and looking at the agonizing creatures on the floor, one vampire was left a pile of blackened bones while the other was clawing at his face, holes having been burned into his cheeks, leaving teeth and gums exposed to the scorching fire.

They fell silent.

One of the two hounds was still alive. But the sickening “crack” of his pieced skull ended its suffering.

She saw something shine in the ashes of the vampires.

Some gems. She gladly took them.

The imperial looked at the cave.

There was the corpse she smelled laying face down in a puddle of blood.

A Vigilant of Stendarr.

Good riddance.

Moving deeper she saw the closed gate she noticed on her previous stays.

This time though, it wasn't silent as she heard more voices coming from there.

She could not risk going back out into the blizzard.

 _Besides..._ She feels the precious stones inside her pockets.

Vampires are always _loaded._

With a smirk she moves to find the lever for the gate.

 

OoO

 

She slayed and burned countless vampires and draugr. Leaving only ashes and embers in her wake, she finally finds a way into the heart of the cave.

A strange ruin resided in the distance.

She stood on the terrace, overlooking the execution of yet another Vigilante with mild interest. It seemed that these were the higher ranked fiends, she could already feel the treasures between her fingers once she dealt with the vampires.

“Hey! What are you doing in here?!”

She was spotted.

The thralls speech was cut short by a sword impaling his chest. Blood flowing out of his stretched mouth as he tried to breath around the metal in his lungs.

The smell of human blood made her instinctively tense up.

She doesn't like it.

The thralls master came towards her, throwing spells that she easily countered with one of her own.

Concentrating, she stops her defensive behaving and switches to offense. Slowly she feels her sword eating up her magic.

Absorbing it.

They came closer and in a second the world _burned_.

She sliced the air and a wave of blue flames erupted from the sword burning the vampires to ash in _seconds._

Continuing the assault, her foes were gone with the wind in moments. Leaving molten gold and hot gems to fall upon the ground.

She picked up the gems, the heat not affecting her.

The flames were a part of her, why would they hurt?

Looking up from her crouched position she then moves to the strange structure across the bridge.

The air seemed heavier here.

She walks up to the pedestal in front of her.

She senses magic coming from it.

Putting her hand upon the stone she wasn't prepared for the spike that cut through her flesh and bones.

“Gyahh!” The imperial screamed in pain as she felt her blood get _sucked_ into the stone. She ripped off her hand and the steel spike moved back into the stone.

The ground moved.

Light erupts from the cracks in the floor.

Furrowing her brows in curiosity she notices one of the pillars suddenly burning with a light violet flame.

She looks at the others around her, her bleeding hand clenched in pain.

She wasn't a healer.

In fact she could only use flames as magic.

Though they never felt like _magic_ to her.

She pushes one of the pillars to her left towards the pedestal.

It lit up.

And so she spend the next hour moving the pillars until the same purple flames erupted from them.

She didn't expect what happened next.

She hoped for treasure.

Maybe a legendary sword or piece of armor having been put away by one of the gods.  

But certainly not _a woman_.

Most certainly not a _vampire._

She didn't move to catch the girl as she fell on her knees.

Her clothes were of royalty.

But that wasn't important.

The Elder scroll that she carried...

That's what caught the imperials attention.

She barely caught what the woman said once she regained her footing.

“You're not like me... what are you doing here, werewolf?” The hoarse voice said, though there was no true malice in her tone. Only distrust and curiosity.

The wolf smirked.

 

_This will be interesting._

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

* * *

 

The moment Serana opened her eyes she smells blood.

But not just any blood. 

The blood of a werewolf. 

Mixed with something else.

Her mouth watered.

Werewolf blood was seen as a treat for vampires. Even if their smell itself was dreadful, their blood was highly demanded by higher ranked vampires, like her father. 

But this blood had something else that made it most irresistible. She couldn't put her finger on it. 

She fell to her knees. 

Her gaze meeting the dust covered ground as she struggles to regain her footing. The air was heavy, making her dizzy as she straightened herself to face her  _ savior _ properly. 

Curious brown eyes looked back at her, calculating almost. Lightly tanned skin was barely recognisable in the dim cave and black hair fell over her piercing eyes. It was short, very short, in fact she would have mistaken her for a man if it wasn't for her superior eyesight. Earrings, two left and one right, clearly from Elsweyr though the woman was herself an imperial, no doubt.

The boyish stranger had an interesting armor, blackish leather, and many pockets, surely a thief. She remembers the old thieves guild having slightly similar armor. They had tried countless times to steal treasures from her father, back before her mother locked her away. 

_ Mother. _

The elder scroll felt very heavy all of a sudden. 

She had to say something. 

“You're not... like me. What are you doing here werewolf?” Serana kept her eyes on the girl, trying to notice any signs of aggression or reaction in general in the imperial.  

Her eyes went up to the scroll on her back for a second before falling back down to gaze into the vampire's eyes. 

A wolfish grin set itself upon her features.

“Well... I'm certainly  _ not like you _ . Were you expecting someone in particular?” The girl's voice was almost playful, making the vampire's eyes narrow dangerously. Something is wrong with her she was certain. 

“Someone like me at least.” Her statement had a cold edge to it, the tone made the girl's grin widen, making way to sharp teeth. 

“Sorry to disappoint. If it interests you, your little... friends,  _ did _ seem eager to see you. Though my presence was... unwanted.” The wolf said, while her bloodied hand was playing with the hilt of her worn down sword. 

The smell made the vampire's breath hitch. 

The wolf grinned. 

She knew the effect her blood had on the vampire. So she carelessly let the blood from her wound, flow down and seep into the stone and dirt at her feet.

“Friends? What do you mean?” Serana asked, her throat still feeling dry. The dripping blood of the wolf made her lick her lips. 

She couldn't see who the girl was talking about. She hands started to itch, wanting to grab the imperial by the neck and force the answers out of her. 

“Oh yes, though I could not show you who, even if I wanted too.” The wolf turned to look behind her and Serana followed her gaze, and she frowned.

Ashes. 

Silence stretched out. The wolf's sword hits the ground softly as she gently pushes the murderous weapon back and forth as it hung lowly from her hip, the sound echoes across the walls and becomes a dangerous melody while the vampire chooses her next line.

“Who send you?” The wolf's melody stops like a lute’s string snapping in the middle of a song. 

They stare each other down, shoulders tense and fingers twitching in anticipation for a fight.

The wolf's shoulders relax and a lazy shrug is given before the tapping resumes. 

“No one send me. I stumbled in here to escape the weather outside, surprisingly the snow is really hard to get used to, even after years of living in this land. But well, beats rotting back in Cyrodiil I guess.” The imperial said with a small smile, an honest one this time, and Serana frowned at the girl. 

_ What... why is she even telling me this? Is she insane...?  _

She was getting impatient and she was still very much confused over what to do now. 

Did her mother abandon her? 

Did the stranger wake her up for naught? 

She had to go back home. 

“Listen... I don't care who you are, or what you were doing in here. I just need to get back home.” The imperials eyes narrow at the vampire. 

“Oh?” 

Her voice had lost all of its playfulness and has gone cold just like her eyes. 

Serana tried to keep herself from showing any reaction. 

“Let me guess...  _ princess. _ Little vampire girl doesn't know the way back to her coffin? Well what a shame, I don't do charity. I already got you out of this grave of yours without gutting you like the other bloodsuckers I met in here, so consider that my daily act of kindness.” And with that the girl walks towards an ash pile a few feet away from Serana, bending down and palming the burned remains until she finds a golden ring and a ruby. 

Blowing off the ash she pockets them.

With a small smirk she turns to the vampire who has been watching her intently the whole time. 

Her smile drops. 

“What? Are you mad  _ princ-”  _

“Stop calling me that. My name is Serana.” The vampire wasn't sure why she told her her name but it seemed to surprise the werewolf too, she quickly covered up her small slip up though. 

“Is that so? Well  _ Serana _ ... why are you still standing there? I thought you had a home to get back too?” 

Mocking a vampire. 

_ She is insane alright. _

“I need your help.” She said courtly, leaving no place for arguments, but of course...

“Shame. Get in line.” 

Serana was on top of her in seconds, pinning her down with her inhuman strength, her eyes showing untold threats. 

The wolf didn't resist. In fact she hardly even reacted. 

“You  _ will _ help me,  _ or else. _ ” 

“Or else what?” 

The stupid grin was back. 

She thought about her snapping her neck. 

Her left hand started to heat up. 

The heat turned into  _ pain. _

Hissing she jumps away from the girl and holds her burned hand in shock. 

“Man! You nords are all so  _ forward _ , court me properly first!” The girl said with a chuckle, from her spot on the ground. Serana responded with a glare. 

More silence. 

“Why shouldn't I kill you Serana.” The line was said like a comment on the weather. 

Serana knew the girl wasn't bluffing, and slowly, her hand starts to heal itself. 

“Kill me and you killed one vampire-” 

“An especially annoying one.” 

A glare.

“But if you get me back you will discover that something bigger is going on. Something that might mean the end of life as you know it.” 

The woman tensed up again, her eyes showing fiery rage. Anger was dripping from what she said next.

“Stop this  _ end of the life you know _ crap. I didn't get away from this nonsense only to be thrown back into it by some random damsel in distress.” The words were dripping with venom and Serana thought she would attack her right there and then. 

“I don't know what you're talking about... But I might have something else that might interest you.” 

The wolf's eyes look up to rest on the golden scroll on the vampires back. 

“ _ Not _ the scroll... but I saw you pick up those jewels before. I can make sure you get as many as an elder scroll might be worth.” This got the wolf's attention. 

“But for that... I have to get you home?” The imperial said, her hand resting on her hip. 

“Yes.” 

“What if I kill you and just  _ take  _ the scroll?” 

“Would you?” 

Water rushes in the distance.

A sigh.

“Where do you need to go?” 

Serana smirks. 

“A small island near Solitude. That's where my father should be.” The last part was more or less aimed at herself. 

She knew the risk, but she didn't know what else she could do.

“You’re lucky, I needed to get to a port anyways prin- Serana.” The imperial moved to get back up but was met with a pale hand in front of her face. 

A peace offering.

She chuckles before slapping it in the familiar way she used to do with her guild friends. 

She misses those jerks. 

Serana only frowns in offense as her hand gets hit, while the girl gets back up on her feet. 

The imperial notices the vampires confused stare and smiles slightly. 

“And old thing I used to do with my group, it's no provocation, don't worry.” 

She doesn't get a reply. 

The imperial looks around the cave.

“So... any idea how to get out of here?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey yall! Second chap is up! Hope you like it! See ya!
> 
> Good reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the wait! I'll update more regularly promise (maybe... I'll try.) 
> 
> Good reading!

 

* * *

 

_No... no... no...nonononono_

_Not this shit again._

The imperial stood in front of the stone wall, the words and signs making her dizzy the longer she looks at them.

The word glows and she almost chokes on her own breath.

She doesn't want this.

Her stomach lurches and her palms grow sweaty.

A hand on her shoulder shakes her.

She can't look away.

The word _brands_ itself into her _soul._

She falls down, her knees buckling under her weight.

The hand was now holding her upper body up.

Distant shouting and then _pain._

Her cheek burns and her eyes snap open even though they were already wide and unfocused to begin with.

Serana is at her side.

Right.

They were fighting skeletons.

She glances around, corpses are decorating the steps of the room, ice spikes and blue flames were now part of the undead's bodies.

The wall stopped her in her tracks as she fought one of the fiends, her side feels wet.

Blood.

She got distracted and hit in the process. The vampire saved her.

The vampire that was still shouting at her.

“What the hell was that supposed to be?! One moment you're destroying the bonemen and then you stop to look at a _wall_? Look at what happened! You got a damn arrow in your side!”

Indeed the old wood was lodged in her flesh.

The vampire must have a hard time resisting the smell of her blood.

_I'm really not making this easy for her huh?_

“Are you even listening?!”

“Yes.” Had her voice always been this soft? “I'm listening. It's hard not to when you _shout_ into my ear.”

She was met with an irritated sigh.

“Do you have a potion with you, you joker?”

With a strained grin the werewolf nods.

“Backpack, left pouch. The red bottle.”

Serana had to rip the arrow out first.

A small ‘sorry’ was the last thing the wolf heard before she was met with white hot pain.

Serana immediately holds the potion to her lips making the girl swallow the bitter liquid as she held back tears.

“Thank you.”

They left the cave without addressing what happened again.

 

OoO

 

The imperial was sitting near the fireplace while Serana looked over her wound, making sure the potion closed it completely.

The wolf was still confused over why she fretted over it so much, but she thought that it was because she had to get her home and she couldn't lose her guide. _Yet_ at least.

They chose to rest for the night, finding a secluded cave previously inhabited by an angry troll, and starting a fire after putting down the bedroll.

They had to share it tonight, the wolf said she would get Serana one once they reached Dawnstar in the morning.

The vampire was surprised at the girl's sudden friendliness. Agreeing to share a bedroll with a _vampire?_ The girl was truly a nutcase. Maybe it was the promise of gold that drove her, Serana didn't care.

The wind was still ruthless but the snowing let up a bit, though it would still shield the two women from sight if someone would pass by in the distance.

The wolf heated up a piece of meat she had in her backpack over the fire, she knew it would be useless to ask the vampire if she wanted some.

She knew what she desired.

She still glanced at her hand, even after she washed the blood away.

“You’re hungry too huh.”

Serana seemed startled by the statement, keeping her gaze glued on the fire.

A fire that seemed so _weak_ compared the the wolf's flames.

“I'm fine. I'll find a bandit or something in the morning.”

The wolf didn't seem convinced.

“You saved my life. I wouldn't mind if you drank some from me. Just enough so keep you going until tomorrow.”

Serana turned towards her in utter surprise.

She would let her...

_Why?_

“Why?” She didn't mean to say it out loud.

“You helped me. So I'll help you. Ear for an ear or whatever.” She looks away, looking nonchalant.

She was anything but.

_What has gotten into me... Is it this Seduction thing vampires have that make me do this?_ She wasn't sure why she would let her drink from her blood, werewolves that did that out of their own free will, were seen as disgraces and were sent into exile.

_Well I’m already both of them, so guess i have nothing to lose. Besides if I can gain her trust maybe I'll be able to get the gold and the scroll... she seems like royalty too, her home must be loaded..._ With that thought the girl made her choice.

Gain her trust first, and then take the scroll and all of her treasures.

“You don't have to... and I believe its eye for an eye.”

“Whatever. It's fine. Just don't overdo it. I already lost some today.” She jokes already counting the jewels on the elder scroll next to her.

Next to Serana.

“If you're completely sure-”

“Just do it!” The imperial said opening the buttons of her armor to roll the sleeve up and takes off her glove, exposing her bare wrist to the cold air.

Exposing it to Serana.

The vampire swallows hard.

“Alright... I'll make it as painless as I possibly can... thank you.”

“Just hurry up, it's cold you know.”

A pale hand went to rest on her elbow, the other took her wrist gently, feeling the pulse quicken considerably.

The wolf's breath hitches when cold lips came into contact with her skin.

And then teeth.

They sunk into her flesh gently, like a pirate being dragged to the bottom of the sea by a singing mermaid.

The wolf had to bite her lips to stay silent.

It didn't hurt.

In the contrary. It felt _nice_.

_I've lost my mind, it's official... no come on, it's just the treasure that messes with your mind._

The sensation was over way too quickly, and wet tongue licked away any drop that escaped, the imperial was convinced she only wanted to make her squirm even more under her.

“Are you alright?” The vampire asked, sounding just as breathless as the wolf.

“Y-Yeah.” She curses herself for stuttering.

Serana moves away slowly and watches the flames, the girls taste still on her tongue. The wolf covered her hand, and bitten wrist, up again.

This wasn't normal blood. It tasted better than the one of an average werewolf.

More silence issued.

Until...

“What's your name?”

The wolf laid down on the bedroll, Serana would stay guard for a few more hours placing some runes around them.

Silence.

Leaves are dancing with the wind.

“Arslan. Arslan Ignis.”

  
She fell asleep with a tingle in her wrist, to dreams of treasure and scrolls.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait guys! I'll try to find a better way to handle the updates! ^^" 
> 
> Good reading!

 

* * *

 

 

“How can you  _ stand  _ the sun... Its unbearable...” 

Serana has been complaining about the blazing sun ever since the two went back on the road. Arslan was keen on ignoring the girl's constant complaining at first, but she slowly felt herself give in to her temper. Turning around to face the vampire woman currently dragging her feet through the deep snow, her hood shielding her from the unforgiving heat of the sun, the wolf held back thoughts of murder. 

_ Think about the gold... think about the gems... _

The young woman recites these thoughts like a prayer in order to keep her nerves in check.

“You know what else in unbearable? Your  _ complaining.  _ And besides, to answer your previous question, the sun doesn't bother me because I'm not a  _ vampire. _ ” The Imperial shot back as she tried to get her foot out of a particularly deep patch of snow. 

The remark earned her a dirty look from said vampire. 

They kept walking in silence for a bit longer and Serana was growing restless. She had been asleep for years and wakes up to a new world, and the one person she meets is a greedy werewolf, completely inadequate of keeping a proper conversation. 

The young girl abruptly stopped in the middle of the path, making Serana look at her tense form in confusion.

“What is it? Why did we sto-”

“Shut up.” Came the short reply, interrupting the vampire. She would have been annoyed by it but she swallowed back any remark as she suddenly heard a noise in the distance. 

A roar. 

A very  _ loud  _ roar. 

“What the hell is that...?” The vampire could feel the ground shaking as the continuous shouts became louder. 

Whatever beast it was, it was coming closer. 

Serana looked at the werewolf for any signs of reaction, and for the first time since she got her out of her coffin the werewolf was indeed showing a sort of emotion. 

Fear.

Arslan's eyes were glued to the sky, her entire body was trembling and her hands were turning white by the sheer force of her hands making fists. Serena was worried. What was that beast, that it could make her shake and tremble like a terrified child?

She tried to call out her name, but the wolf paid no mind. She kept her eyes to the sky. 

That's when Serana could see  _ it. _

A dragon flying in the distance.

A  _ dragon. _

She was sure that dragon's were still all dead last time she checked. 

The beast wasn't coming their way. In fact it seemed to head North, right where they were supposed to go. 

It headed towards Dawnstar.

Serana forgot to how breath for a bit. 

What should they do? Should they still go? Should they  _ help? _

If they ran they could get there in time...

She looked at Arslan for advice but the girl was now staring at the ground, her fists still trembling though this time, it was in held in anger.

“...change of plans. We head towards Morthal.” Without another word, the girl turned and walked into the woods, straying from the path. Serana was still too shocked to say anything. 

The silence didn't last for long. 

“Wait a moment!” The vampire stopped and took the wolf by the shoulder making her turn around with expressionless eyes. The snow was falling through the barren trees, landing on her hair and getting stuck on her eyelashes. But the girl didn't move nor did she blink, it seemed like she was completely out of her body. That made Serana insanely uncomfortable, why was she so calm of all a sudden?

“What is it?” 

“What do you mean ‘What is it?’! There was a  _ dragon  _ over there! They are supposed to be extinct! And it was heading right toward Dawnstar!”  Serana was losing her cool. Was this girl  _ mad?! _

“Yeah so?” The girl arched an eyebrow as if the vampire just made sure that two plus two equals four. It made her even more furious. 

“What do you mean “Yeah so?” ?! We have to do something!” The snow continued to fall over the pair as silence issued, the vampire's voice echoing through the woods.

“...do something?” The wolf mumbles before looking down onto the white ground. Her feet several inches deep within the snow. 

Serana questioningly looked at Arslan, as the girl's shoulders started to shake lightly. 

She started laughing uncontrollably. Like a madwoman, her chuckles made the vampire flinch. Serana stared at the crackling girl, not knowing what to do, so she waited until the laughter stopped. 

It did.

The air felt heavier and the silence was deafening, Serana shifted her footing just to hear the snow crunching beneath her boots. Then Arslan spoke.

“You want to do  _ something _ ? Well go right ahead! Go and chase after it! I'm sure he would  _ love _ a century old vampire as a snack. While you do that, I'll be on my merry way  _ Princess. _ ” The wolf said, her tone holding that mocking edge once again and Serana frowns at the girl's words. Especially at the last one. 

“Don't act high and mighty with me. I saw you tremble like a child at his sight, you were scared. You coward.” Serana shot back and Arslan immediately recoiled at her words before aggressively moving a step towards the vampire. Before she could open her mouth they were interrupted by a loud roar once again. 

The two immediately stopped and looked towards the direction the noise came from.

Dawnstar. 

Through the trees, in the distance they could see smoke and ashes rising towards the sky. Serana could hear screams of terror and she knew that Arslan could too. Having advanced hearing turned out to be a curse, as they listened to the echoing shouts of people fighting for their lives and loved ones.

Arslan ripped her eyes away from the rising cloud first, but Serana couldn't stop her gaze from staying glued upon the scene happening in the distance. The snow on her frozen form felt like the ashes of the victims falling upon her as less and less voices resonated across the woods. 

She was shaken from her trance as Arslan put a hand on her shoulder. Turning around she was taken aback by the look in the young girl's eyes.

Sadness, grief, pain,  _ anger. _

All these emotions flashed through her hazel eyes like a deadly tornado. And just as fast as they came, they passed. 

The hand fell from her shoulder and suddenly, it felt much heavier without it. 

“Let's go.” 

Serana followed without a word this time. Feeling her feet dragging themselves through the ashes of Dawnstar.

Arslan never felt a stronger hate for fire than in that moment, walking, back turned to the city.

Back turned to the orphan boy she once promised to teach how to crack open a lock and with whom she spent countless hours out at sea, fishing and telling stories of her exploits with her trusty guild. 

Back turned towards the boy she swore to take in one day.

She felt the rot flowing through her being once again.

A rotten dragon's soul.

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> S'up guys! Here's another chapter since SOMEONE was impatient, looking at you PrimeMegalodon. (I'm kidding of course, thanks for the wake up call) 
> 
> Anyways thanks to our friend, here's a new chapter for yall! Good reading!

 

* * *

 

 

It was nighttime by now. 

They hadn't stopped their journey ever since the sighting of the dragon. Serana had long since given up on asking the wolf about the previous encounter, choosing to stay behind, quietly pondering about the events that have unfolded. 

The wolf was clearly in it for the treasure, or rather her scroll, but she could see that something else was troubling the girl ever since their sudden change of plans. Arslan was walking some ways in front of her, the night had already fallen and so her figure was only illuminated by a weak burning torch. Why she didn't use her magic instead was a mystery to the vampire.

_ I have seen enough fire for today anyways... _

The wolf had been silent the whole way, only stopping to ask if the vampire was craving blood when they passed near bandit camps. Other then that, she was completely engulfed in her thoughts, so much in fact, that she had led them down wrong paths a few times. 

Arslan was oblivious to the red glowing eyes that were trained on her, continuing to make her way through the trees that were dancing with the wind. 

She felt numb. 

Correction. 

She  _ wished  _ to feel numb.

Thoughts were racing in her mind, making her head hurt and her breathing uneven. She tried to use the breathing technique that Karliah taught her in case she ever got caught and started to lose her cool and starts to hyperventilate. The imperial regretted how she laughed that time, telling her that she would never. She was so cocky back then... 

Man, she misses her. All of them. 

Her breathing got worse. Faster. Shorter.

The vampire was aware, but she stayed where she was, letting the girl have her space, for now. 

Arslan was starting to feel lightheaded. She had been travelling for days without more than a few hours of rest every night, having been up before daybreak to ensure that no guard or bounty hunter would find her and force her back into her role... 

_ Dragonborn. _

She wasn't  _ Dragonborn. _ She was an exiled wolf, a street  _ dog _ that got a knack for opening locks and picking pockets. 

She was a coward. A coward that couldn't even save a little boy from the one thing she was  _ destined  _ to slay. 

No. Not  _ destined.  _

She didn't have a  _ destiny. _

_ Right? _

The wolf was more out of it then she thought.

The trees started to get blurry. 

One leg gave out, then the second one. She couldn't stop herself from falling face first into the snow in front of her. The torch hissing as it fell into the cold, plunging the imperial in complete darkness. The icy snow stung her skin as she desperately tried to catch her breath. It didn't matter, she felt like no matter how deeply she breathes, no air reaches her lungs. 

They felt like they were on fire.

She almost laughed at the irony.

Serana was at her side in an instance. 

Two glowing eyes surrounded by darkness were the last thing Arslan saw before hers fell close. 

The vampire looked at her unconscious travel companion. They had locked eyes before the younger girl passed out. They had been frantic and unfocused, like the ones of a wild animal.

How fitting.

She had heard her breathing slowly building up, until she went into a state of hyperventilating. She knew that trying to offer help would only be met with resistance. She didn't take long to notice her unmatched stubbornness. 

So she waited until the inevitable happened. 

The wolf collapsed. 

And now she debated over helping her. 

She left the people of Dawnstar to their demise. She should meet the same fate. 

Deep down, Serana knew it was untrue. But she couldn't help but feel anger towards the girl. 

As well as herself. She could have gone alone. But she didn't. She was also at fault.

But she still wanted to abandon the wolf. Let her freeze to death and move on, she would take her map before that, and find her way home by herself. She knew the girl was looking to steal the scroll, she could tell after their first few hours together. The greed filled glances when she thought the vampire wasn't looking. Calculating eyes counting the precious stones embedded into the gold, whenever the vampire walked ahead of her.

But... she also noticed the saddened gaze Aslan would have as she looked into the burning flames of her torch, the familiar pain that came with remembering memories of a life that once was, flashing behind hazel eyes as she touched the edges of an old and dull dagger she carried on her weathered armor.

Whatever she ran away from, it wasn't by choice. At least, completely.

She made up her mind. 

Serana crouched next to the wolf before effortlessly heaving her up into her arms. 

She made her way into a nearby cave. 

She wouldn't let her die. 

For now.   
  


oOo  
  
  


When Arslan opened her eyes, she was met with shadows dancing on the ceiling of a cave. A crackling fire illuminated her as she slowly got into a seated position. 

_ A cave...?  _ The imperial thought as she looked around the dark space.  _ How did I... _

“Careful. I don't want you passing out  _ again. _ ” The stern voice almost made Arslan jump out of the bedroll she was on.  

She blinked.

She had been tucked into a bedroll, albeit messy, but still, she was warm. 

Looking around she sees the vampire sitting on the other side of the fire, nose buried in one of the few books she took with her. Her open bag is discarded to her side, a few item sticking out of the cramped space. 

_ She went through my stuff...  _ Annoyance soon let way to confusion.

_ She brought me here? _

She realised that she hasn't answered yet.

“I...” She hesitated. “Thank you."

She didn't know what else to say. She was sure the vampire would leave her behind. Maybe strip her of her gear like the wolf had done herself with so many others before. 

She clawed at the skin on her arms. 

She felt the rot in them again. 

“Couldn't leave my guide behind like that.” 

The vampire said, not looking up from the book once. 

_ Yes, you could have.  _ Arslan thought but chose to hold her tongue.

A tense silence hung in the air.

“What are you reading?” 

The wolf was surprise at the words that left her mouth. She knew exactly which book it was, she read it many times herself when she was still a stranger to this land, and still she asked, only to make conversation. 

The cold must have gotten to her head.

She could count on her hands the number of times she started the conversations between the two. 

Serana seemed just as surprised but quickly rules her expression to hide it.

“A brief resume on Skyrim's history, I hope you don't mind me borrowing it?” 

“No, go ahead.” 

No more words were spoken between the two. Aslan started to count the steady sound of water dripping upon stone. She was by thirty three when Serana spoke up again.

“Tell me, who is Skyrim’s current high king? This is all interesting, but it lacks current information.” She said closing the book and putting it down next to her. 

Arslan chuckles dryly before responding. 

“That's actually a matter for debate.” 

Serana grinned at that. 

“Great, a war of succession. And who are the contenders?” 

“The Empire supports Elisif but many think of Ulfric as the true High King.” 

“Empire?” Serana looked at Arslan, confusion written all over her face. “What Empire?” 

“ _ The _ Empire. From Cyrodiil?” Serana's eyes widened in disbelief.

“Cyrodiil is the seat of an empire? I must have been gone longer than I thought... definitely longer than planned.” The  wolf caught on to the last part. 

“Planned?” Arslan asked before she could stop herself. “What do you mean?” 

Serana frowned, she didn't think that she said that out loud. 

“I... I don't think I can tell you. It shouldn't come to a surprise that I don't trust you quite yet.” The wolf only nodded at Serana.

“Understandable, it's not like we had a smooth start either.” Arslan said with a grim smile, thinking back to how they met in Dimhollow. 

“Indeed, it left much to be desired.” Serana shot back and Arslan smirks as she picks up the playful undertone.

“What? Am I not the knight in shining armor you hoped for?” The vampire chuckles before responding, shadows dancing over her features.

“Well, I wouldn't say i was expecting much when I first saw you. I figured you were the pet of one of the vampires, that went to free me.” Serana said, a mischievous twinkle in her red eyes.

Arslan gasped in fake offense, leaning forward and pointing to the vampire that sat across the fire. 

“I am  _ no  _ pet. I am the mighty Arslan Ignis! Master thief of gold and jewels as well as young maidens hearts!” The wolf said jokingly, making a grand gesture of passing a hand through her short and messy hair shooting a charming (at least she tried) look towards the vampire.

The vampire gave her a blank stare. 

The fire’s crackles fill the silence. 

And then laughter. Serana was chuckling, putting a hand to her mouth and soon Arslan joined in. 

Calming down from the laughter, the vampire went to respond mockingly; 

“Well I'm  _ convinced  _ that anyone would fall for such a  _ charmer _ . I can barely resist myself.” 

“Ouch, no need to hurt a gal’s ego.” Arslan smirked, feigning a hurt look. 

“Well I thin-” Serana was about to respond when a growl resonates in the small cave. 

The two got up immediately, taking a fighting stance. Aslan and Serana channelled their magicka into open palms, the raw power could be felt in the air.

“Serana... did you clear the cave before bringing us in?” The wolf asked, keeping her voice low as she heard heavy footsteps coming from where the entry to the shelter was situated.

“It was empty when I got you in here...” Serana said back, her voice barely above a whisper. “I walked around outside to make sure no one was there, seems like we’re not alone after all.” 

The growling became louder, and the two got their weapons and magic ready for whatever was about to come out of the shadows. 

A troll. 

A  _ frost  _ troll. 

And the beast did not seem happy to see the uninvited guests that made residence in its home. 

Arslan cursed out loud before launching a fireball in its direction. The beast screamed in pain as it’s skin burned and melted from the heat, it's cries making Serana wince before she too, launched an ice spike of her own.

The piece of ice implanted itself into the troll's shoulder ripping its flesh, tainting its white fur red. The monster growled before charging towards the vampire. 

Serana wasn't prepared for the heavy beast as it flung itself on her, its claws inches away from her face. She was trapped under the frost demon and helplessly tried to hold it back from ripping her flesh right of the bone, but even at such a time, she did notice that her scoll was missing from her back. The relics leather strap must have snapped when the troll attacked the nord as it now laid a few feet from a frozen Arslan. 

The girl's wide eyes went from the vampire to the scroll at her feet.

“Ar- Ugh Arslan!” Serana screamed as she felt her supernatural strength give out. The trolls fangs were inches from her contorted face as she tried to hold him back with all her might. “Help me!” 

The wolf couldn't move. 

She could take the scroll, get to Solitude and catch the next ship to a new life. The price people would be willing to pay for the relic would make sure she never would have to steal another septim ever again. 

But that would mean leaving the vampire to die. 

The vampire she just met. The vampire she is constantly annoyed by. The vampire that saved her from freezing to death outside. The vampire that bantered with her just a minute ago. 

The cave seemed to close in on the wolf, the rocky and humid walls suffocating her until she felt like she would drown in air. 

She had betrayed people before. 

It wouldn't be a first for her to take advantage of these kind of situations, in fact a few years ago she wouldn't have thought twice about getting the scroll and fleeing the scene, leaving the poor soul that had trusted her at the mercy of whatever already had its claws in them, by the time she found the next Hold.

But now... 

It would mean to lose  _ everything _ .

She lost her guild, her  _ family _ as well as her home and even... 

_ Alesan _

She would be all alone. Again.

_ Just like that time... after my exile... _

“Arslan!” The vampire uttered her name again

It was a plea and a warning all at once.

The wolf made her choice. 

She grabbed the scroll and Seranas eyes widen in terror, betrayal shone on her face as she watches the girl leave her line of sight.

_ She really chose... of course she did. That thief was after it the whole time after all.  _

In her moment of vulnerability, she let her hold on the beats charred arm lessen. The nord screamed in pain as one of the trolls claws cut into her shoulder, ripping the cloth and exposing pale, split skin. The blood seeped into the dirt and the vampire cursed as the claws dug deeper into her flesh. 

_ This is it...  _ Serana thought she she felt her grip on the beast weaken.  _ I'm going to die here. Betrayed by a no good thief.  _

The vampire would have laughed at her own stupidity if she wasn't in such intense pain.

_ What did I expect from someone who left a whole city to burn?  _

She could feel the trolls hot breath on her face, as she readied herself for what came next.

The bite never came.

But a certain weightlessness did.

A earthshaking howl resonated in the smallish cave and in a moment the weight and claws that were previously crushing her were gone. 

Red eyes widened at the sight before her. 

A werewolf, with fur in a deep blackish brown tone, and the same piercing hazel eyes that Serana had cursed moments before, had tackled the demon off of her.

The imperial was now wrestling the troll some feet away from the nord, and Serana couldn't believe her eyes.

In her grip was the elder scroll, which she held against the trolls neck, using it to hold the beast's snapping maw away from her. The vampire held her bleeding shoulder as she watched the fight in awe. 

_ She didn't leave?  _

She glanced at the scroll. 

_ She took it to fight...? _

The wolf was growling as it pushed harder and harder, putting as much weight upon the troll's neck as it could, Serana could see blue veins next to black coal getting crushed by the golden scroll, until the beast gradually stopped resisting. The trolls bone breaking grip on the werewolf loosened and finally, the beast stilled. 

It was over. 

The wolf looked at the dead troll and took the scroll from it's bulky neck. A dent was clearly to be seen on the leathery skin but the elder scroll didn't even have a scratch.

“Arslan...” Serana uttered her name softly, still gripping her wound, wincing when she applied to much pressure to the gashes. “Argh...!” 

The wolf turned around immediately, after hearing her groan in pain.

She slowly neared the vampire.

The air in the cave reeked of blood and burned skin, but the two ignored the pungent smell as they locked eyes. 

Arslan made the first move. 

The wolf put the scroll near Serana’s feet, giving it back to it's owner, before slowly approaching the hurt nord. 

Serena didn't chose to move, her arm was still gushing blood upon her garments and upon the moss that lined the cave's floor.

The wolf then smelled the wound before whimpering slightly, the beast's ears flat on her head, in a sign of shame. She wasn't fast enough, the vampire got hurt. 

Serana caught on.

“It's fine... it's just a scratch, I just need some rest.” The vampire assures Arslan and the wolf peaked up a bit at that before nudging the woman up with her snout, being careful with her claws as to not accidentally injure the woman further. Serana chose to not say anything, letting herself be lead by the wolf.

The vampire got up, leaning heavily into the furry beast at her side as she led her slowly towards the campfire, setting her down upon a bedroll. 

The wolf threw some more wood into the weak fire, reviving the embers, before moving to stay some feet away from the hurting vampire. 

Serana was out of breath, it has been a while since she had to rely on pure vampiric strength.

She was really out of shape. 

“Haha you...” She winces, and the wolf's eyes went to her wound once again. “You didn't leave...” 

Serana knew that the transformed girl couldn't respond, but she still couldn't hold her surprise back. 

The wolf growled before looking at the fire. 

_ Even in this form she's still stubborn huh?  _

With a chuckle Serana closes her eyes. 

Maybe her companion wasn't just a good for nothing thief after all.

Just maybe.

She fell asleep, not noticing the wolf watching her intensely, from the other side of the burning fire.

For once her gaze didn't linger on the scroll but rather, on its keeper.   
  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Glad so many of you like the story so far, anyways here is a Christmas gift for yall
> 
> Happy birthday Jesus and good reading to you guys!

 

* * *

 

 

The wolf made sure that the vampire was asleep and that the flames were burning bright before slowly making her way towards the dead beast on the ground. The troll was still reeking of blood and charred flesh, and she was certain that Serana wouldn't want to wake up to such a horrid smell. She would have gagged herself, would she not have been already used to the scent of ashes mixed with blood.

Using her beastly strength, she threw the corpse over her back, growling as she felt the blood flow on her while she carried the beast out of the cave and into the cold woods outside. She made sure to drop carcass off far enough, before heading back to the shelter. Snow dropped heavily on her, turning pink as it came in contact with her bloodied fur. It was almost pretty, in a morbid way.

The wind started to pick up, and quickly the once gently dancing snowflakes began to aggressively cloud her vision in a cacophony of white and ice. The wolf kept going, her steps quickly vanishing under new layers of snow. Paying no mind to the weather, she thought back to what happened... with Serana.

She actually chose her.

For the first time she actually decided to save someone else rather than her own hide or even some shiny treasure.

The muscles in her back tense at the realisation. What has gotten into her? This anger she felt that had made her blood pump faster and faster, the rage that consumed her at the sight of the trolls claws, inches away from disfiguring Serana's face... This hate that had caused her bones to crack under the pressure of changing into her inner wolf.

Right. She actually transformed.

She only ever did it twice ever since her exile from her pack.

One time during her fight against Mercer Frey, as a last resort, and one time during a blood moon.

Even though the second one happened, more or less, against her will.

She could still hear the towns peoples frightened screams and the guards angry shouts, ordering to “ _put that damn dog down!”._

Speaking of fright and anger...

The wolf thought back; The look of pure betrayal the vampire showed when she reached for the scroll still had her fur stand up on her neck.

Suddenly the wolf felt much colder, a kind of freezing that isn't caused by Skyrim's merciless weather.

Why did she feel that way?

They aren't supposed to get along in the first place! That's not how things work between vampires and werewolves!

But then again... she never really got along with her kind either.

In fact, the term lone wolf never was very far off for her. Even with a whole guild behind her, the girl mostly kept to herself, as did many in her gang. Their friendship and bond went unspoken, but they knew, deep down, that they were a family in the end.

Maybe whatever _this_ is will go unspoken as well, though she doubted it.

The vampire didn't strike her like the type to leave things unsaid.

She let out a huff close to a laugh as she fought her way through the wind.

She was back in the cave just before the storm came in full force, the entry was already covered in a thick layer of snow and Arslan hoped that they wouldn't be stuck here the whole night. They had to keep moving. Having already lost daylight because of her unnecessary collapse, they would have to wait until dawn to move again. She wouldn't have minded travelling in the dark, but the vampire wasn't as familiar with the creatures the lurk in the shadows as she was, furthermore, she still needed to heal. A few hours, at least.

She could see the vampire on her bedroll, a small pool of blood having soaked the fabric of the soft leather. She knew that the vampire wouldn't have a problem healing the wounds, but she still felt the guilt eating away at her.

She should have been faster, but she hadn't transformed in a long time, and the unfamiliar pain of her bones breaking and mending had her distracted from her goal.

She notices that she should probably take her human form again, though the girl was in no way looking forward to that. But then again, she despises this body. The raw power she felt in every muscle of her deformed silhouette and the deep desire to _hunt_ kept her from feeling any sense of control over herself. So she decided to move to the far side of the dimly lit cave, far from the resting vampire.

Taking deep breaths she tried to chase away her inner wolf. She could feel the beast trying to resist, begging her to give in to the call of the hunt. With a low growl she managed to control it and slowly, she felt her bones break again and recess into their original form, she would have howled in pain but instead, Arslan bit her cheek until the taste of iron was thick on her tongue while she endured the torturous  transformation.

With a gasp she falls to her knees and hands. Her breathing is harsh and the blood in her veins is on fire. Taking some time to catch her breath again, she feels a shiver run down her spine. The cold was anything but gentle on her naked skin. Looking for something to cover herself with she sees shredded leather lying on the ground some ways away from her.

Tired brown eyes widen at the sight.

_No..._

It was her guild master armor.

She almost felt like screaming as she took the torn apart cloth into her hands, the cold forgotten as she ran her thumb over the guild emblem on one of the broken pieces. So she sat there, not sure if hours or mere minutes had passed by her.

Skin and mind going numb, she cradled the remains of the life she left behind.   


OoO

 

Serana didn't expect the sight that graced her upon waking up. Indeed, as she gained consciousness she noticed a few things right away, like the dulled pain in her shoulder, the warmth of the fire next to her, and more importantly the nude figure sitting some ways away, facing away from her.

Silently the vampire got up, and upon nearing Arslan she saw familiar black leather hanging limply from her fingers like silk flowing from a maiden's dress.

Serana knew that the armor was more than just some protection from the harsh weather or from the dull weapons that would try to pierce through the girl.

No. No simple armor would have earned all the nostalgic looks, the melancholic touches when it was grazed by a rogue swing from a bandits rusted sword and be griefed over like it is now.

Now only a few steps behind her, she could see the young girl's normally tan skin having turned a sickly purple due to the cold, and she wondered for how long she had stayed like this. But what had her hair stand on edge, were the numerous scars that littered her matt skin, like leaves in the wind, claw marks went from her toned upper back to her ribs. The vampire didn't have to check her front to see that they went on.

She knew that every adventurer had their fair share of scars, but these didn't come from a fair fight. The wounds varied between marks made by  full grown beasts to smaller ones, like the ones of a small cub. The vampire stared at the naked skin for a long time, briefly asking herself what could have happened for her to be attacked by so many different individuals and wondering, what it would be like to sink her teeth into the lean muscle on her neck.

A bit ashamed of her thoughts, she decides to train her gaze on the wall to her right while she took off her travelling cloak. It wouldn't do much to cover the wolf, but it would have to do for now. She didn't know if she gave it in order to cover the girl from the cold, or to shield her from the looks the vampire would give her otherwise.

Gently she draped the thin leather over the still girl, before kneeling next to her, attempting to take the remains from her hands.

After having saved her life and earned her trust, the least she could do was give back something, that she seemed so crestfallen about to have lost.

The wolf didn't let go of the leather, and Serana didn't know if it was because her joints were frozen or because of her stubbornness to hold on unto what's “lost”.

She whispered calming words to her, using only a little bit of her vampiric seduction. Slowly but surely her grip loosened, allowing Serana to take the broken pieces into her hands.

The vampire was convinced that the leather wasn't the only thing that was broken. The wolf was full of wrath and pain, both overshadowed by a mask of self confidence and indifference, but anger comes from sadness. Serana knew that all too well. Her own hatred against her father was fed from the sadness he made her experience. Night after night of being ignored and neglected and _shielded_ from a world she just now got to experience by travelling with this angry wolf fuelled her own anger and frustration, to the point of agreeing to her mother's plan of fleeing his control and going into hiding. But now he found her and she had to go back, as much as she hated the idea, she needed to see where they all stood.

But she was certain about one thing.

Arslan felt just as lost as her. And so her decision was made.

Exhaling slowly, the vampire’s hands began to glow a gentle violet. The leather started to mend, melting together until no indication of a ripping was left. She could feel Arslan's intense gaze on her as she repaired the armor, she didn't know how long it took, but it was complete in her hands by the time she was starting to feel even a slight drain of her magic.

The silence was finally broken.

“Here you are... Good as new.” Serana said, holding out the black leather.

Arslan only nodded as she slowly reached for it, hesitation clear in her movements as she finally grasped the armor. Holding the treasure close to her chest, she mumbles; “Thank you.”

“You saved my life.” Serana shrugged, she knew it was her fault that it broke in the first place but she chose to be silent for now, looking away as the girl got up and dressed back into her armor, slightly uncomfortable due to the lack of undergarments. Still, she stood tall and proud, marveling the leather. Old seams that were on the verge of breaking were stronger than ever now.

Holding the cloak of the vampire, she turns around and looks into Seranas blood red eyes. Handing back the cloak, a comfortable silence issues. Until the wolf broke it.

“Your wound...it's not fully healed yet. Why?” Her eyes were trained on the scaring flesh, the reddish wound clashing with vampires pale Nordic skin.

“I used too much energy during the fight.” Serana shrugged. “It's going to be fully healed a few more hours from now.”

Serana didn't need to say that the lack of feeding caused her healing to be slowed down. She hoped that the girl would catch on and leave it at that.

She didn't. Obviously.

“You haven't drank any blood since we passed that bandit camp yesterday.” The wolf said, already working on unstrapping her gauntlet.

Seranas hungry eyes were already trained on the darkened skin of the imperial, she could almost hear the blood rushing through her blue veins. Despite herself, she hungrily licks her lips.

“As a...thanks, for fixing my armor.” Arslan looked away, suddenly she didn't feel the cold bite at her skin anymore. “Go ahead.”

The vampire wanted to refuse, she truly did, but she was famished and the wolf's blood was more than tempting to say the least. So gently, she took her wrist and after a murmured “thank you” she broke the tanned skin.

Serana would never get used to the werewolf's taste and the Arslan would never get used to the feeling of her soft lips on her wrist.

In silence, they shared their gift to the other.

  



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Why not start this year on a good note by reading some gay shit ? 
> 
> But for real, happy new years you guys! I really appreciate that some people actually like the stuff I write, so thank you all! 
> 
> Good reading!

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The storm stopped a few hours ago.

The two had packed up their gear, leaving nothing but ashes and dried blood behind before stepping out into the morning sun. Arslan had to melt the mountain of snow that had blocked the entrance of the cave in order to get them out of the cramped space. They would arrive in Morthal once dusk hits them. 

The two travellers were walking in a comfortable silence, the sound of leather boots crushing freshly fallen snow filling the air. The wildlife around the pair mesmerized Serana, elks and eagles catching her interest made her stop in her tracks a few times. Arslan found it endearing somehow, gazing at her with a soft smile playing on her lips as she watches the way the vampires eyes lit up, mouth forming an almost childish grin as she spots a rabbit in the distance. 

She looked away in embarrassment when the girl turned around, catching her staring at her. The vampire chuckles at the sight of the embarrassed wolf. “I've never seen so many animals. It's a first for me.” She admits with a shy smile, and Arslan found herself staring at her again before remembering to answer.

“Really? You didn't get out much huh?” Serana shook her head, her smile turning sad, and Arslan wished she could have changed her reply. 

_ Wait... what? Get yourself together woman! _ She thought as she lead them over a bridge, briefly noting that they should be arriving at the hold soon. 

“My parents... they didn't let me leave our home often.” The vampire shared, gazing solemnly at the stream of rushing water the bridge overlooked. “I would sneak out of course, but I never went too far away. I would watch Solitude from afar, thinking what it would be like to walk the market and see the famous windmill I've read about in countless books...” She stopped and stood in the middle of the bridge, delicately leaning with one hand on the rough stone, looking down at the clear stream. 

Arslan stopped in her tracks too, looking at the almost picturesque scene in front of her. The soft rays of the sun shining upon the vampires form, and the serene but nostalgic look she wore as she gazes at the freezing waters. Arslan was no fool. She recognises that the vampire is of exceptional beauty. She knew it from the moment she laid eyes on the raven haired woman, but what once was a simple observation now turned out to be much more. Ever since they left the cave this morning, she caught herself staring at the vampire on multiple occasions, just like she did right now. She didn't completely know why she couldn't get her eyes away from the child of the night, she thought it was because she started to actually...tolerate her presence more by now. After having fixed her treasured armor, the wolf was grateful to her. That must be all there is. Tolerance based upon gratefulness. 

_ Right? _

Clearing her, suddenly very dry, throat she took some steps towards the woman and leans on the wall next to her, arms crossed as she looked over her shoulder and into her blurry reflexion in the water. It moved with the stream, her mirrored face contorting as if mocking the weaknesses she shows the vampire. 

Because to the wolf, honesty was the biggest flaw one could give away to the enemy.

_ So why do I carelessly show my true thoughts, for her to see?  _ The wolf didn't know. And she didn't want to know. 

Ignorance is bliss after all.

“Well... you'll get to see it soon. I mean, if you’re not in a rush to get home, of course.” She answers after her internal conflict was over. The rushing water had filled the silence anyways.

Serana looked over to the wolf, noticing the way her eyes are hidden by the hood of her armor, she thought it was a shame, the hazel eyes were already often times hidden behind dark hair. She knew that the wolf was staring at her, ever since they left at dawn. She knew that she was considered quite “beautiful”, she heard it many times, from guests of her father to potential suitors he would arrange for her. None of which have ever caught her attention. That is why she was used to lingering stares, but the wolf was also eye catching. The contrasts between masculinity and femininity was an interesting mix. Short hair and men's clothing clashing with long eyelashes and soft looking lips, these would no doubt leave her to be quite popular. And from what she gathered, quite popular with women. Something her father had, yet again, shown disdain towards. 

She always made sure that he wouldn't catch her sneak looks at her suitors sisters. 

She would hold her tongue on that matter for now though, since the wolf seemed to be troubled by these thoughts. It was painfully obvious that the wolf had trust issues, but Serana couldn't blame her. If her hidden scars ( that she didn't address or ask questions about, just yet) and her mistrust and disdain for people in general were of any indication, then the vampire was sure that she had her reasons.

The wolf still somehow grew to the vampire. As much as she would like to renounce that fact, decades of solitude and loneliness left her craving for interaction with someone. Even if it came from such an unlikely source. 

_ Still, I mustn't get carried away. This is only temporary. _ She tried to ignore the feeling of disappointment that came with the thought, dreading the loneliness she will soon be exposed to again.

“I wouldn't mind a little stop. I'm not that keen on going back home anyways.” The last part was quiet, and Arslan couldn't hold back her curiosity. 

“Why? Someone you don't want to see?” She cringed at the protective edge to her voice, thankfully, Serana didn't seem to have noticed.

“Well...” The vampire hesitated briefly, and Arslan wondered if she overstepped her boundaries. “My father and I don't really get along.” 

She chuckles dryly 

“Saying it like this makes it sound so... common.” With a mocking tone she continues. “Little girl that doesn't get along with her father... read that story a hundred times before.” 

The rushing of the water filled the silence once again.

“Parents can be... tricky. I understand that, don't worry.” Arslan thought back to her own father, the man that exiled her. 

Her grip on her own arms becomes stronger. Trimmed nails digging into black leather. 

“Yes, indeed...” Serana acted obvious to the girl's sudden change in mood, but she could hear her heartbeat pick up in anger. 

The wrath the girl carried was simultaneously frightening and alluring to the vampire. The anger and hate, that made her flames burn brighter, had something that Serana was drawn to, like Icarus, she felt like she would get burned if she got too close.

But somehow, she didn't mind.

They stayed like this for a few more moments before choosing to keep going. Both lost in their own thoughts and memories. 

 

OoO

 

Just as Arslan expected, the sun started to set by the time they arrived in Morthal. An orange light casts over the hold, turning the fog into a vivid color, making it look like the city was plunged into flames. 

How ironic it would be once they thought back.

Serana cautiously looked around the swampy area, noting the curious looks the townspeople gave them. The wolf picked up on her observation and silently explains; “They don't get many visitors in these parts. People are just being careful.”

With a sideways glance and a grin, she adds. “Doesn't help that you have red eyes too.” 

The vampire in question tugged her hood further over her glowing eyes. “Well that's hardly my fault is it now? Besides you're the one with the Thieves guild armor.” 

“Touché.” Arslan smirked. The town was quiet, most people were minding their own business, preparing to call it a day and maybe head to the inn for an ale. That's where the two travellers were headed.

Arslan made sure to pull her hood down, and keeping her head down when they passed some guards patrolling near the Jarls keep, shielding her face further from the cautious looks they gave her. This whole  _ dragonborn _ ordeal left people with the rough knowledge what she looked like under her hood. Which for a thief, isn't good for business.

The wanted posters were offending in themselves. She was just glad that Morthal didn't have many hanging around. Whiterun had been  _ covered _ in them, every house, pole, hell even market stands had them pinned into the old wood. 

She wanted to strangle the person who drew her portrait. 

Her nose did  _ not  _ look like that.

Lost in her thoughts she lead them up to the inn, gaze firmly trained to the floor.

Serana stopped halfway up the flight of stairs leading to the entrance that Arslan was already about to open, her attention on a burned down house some ways away. Something about the blackened wood and ash made the vampire uncomfortable, it was as if she was drawn to the carnage. 

“Serana?” The vampire tore her eyes away from the scene and looked at Arslan, who was watching her with curious eyes. “Where are you going...?” 

Confused by the question, Serana frowned at the wolf before noticing that she had, unconsciously, moved back down the stairs and took some steps towards the burned down house. “I...” She hesitated, looking back to the destroyed home.

Arslan's quizzical eyes turned to the home in the distance, her mouth opening in a silent gasp. “Oh no...” 

Jumping back down the stairs of the inn, the wolf ran towards the burned home, eyes wide with silent panic.

Serana followed suite, calling after the wolf.

“No no no no... by the gods please it can't be...” Once she reached the charred house, the wolf jumped over the debris and started to look at the destruction before her. Her footprints leaving way to back wood and stone, she wasn't even sure if it was snow or ashes she stepped on. 

Once Serana reached her, she slowly climbed over the remains of pillars and made her way to the grieving thief. They could both smell it.

The smell of burned flesh.

For the first time in years, it causes bile to rise up Arslan's throat. 

She swallows it down together with the rising shame she felt.

Silently she approached the woman, whose gloved hands were now balled into tight fists.

She let the wolf have some space, waiting silently as she inspects the burned remains of furniture. The feeling was even stronger now. She was positively shuddering now, it was as if she was being watched. Shaking off the feeling she lifts her head when the wolf speaks, in a quiet and trembling voice.

“This place... I knew them. The people that lived here.” A trembling sigh left her cold lips. “It was a married couple. They let me stay here when I was still new to this land. I would help with the housework and such in exchange, since the wife was expecting.” 

Serana was sure that if she still had a working heart, it would contort itself in pain and empathy. She wasn't sure why hearing the pain in the girl's voice made her want to revolt against the gods themselves. Against the unfairness of fate. She took a cautious step towards the girl. A reflex that she almost didn't realize she was doing.

The wolf's voice broke at what she said next. 

“I never came to visit after moving to Riften.” A laugh void of any true humor left her choked throat. “Not much worth of interest in these parts. Not for a thief like me at least.” 

She remembers the nights spend with the older couple, diners and the scoldings she would get from the soon-to-be-mother when she would forget to mind her language near the “baby”. She remembers the night where they asked her if she had any names for the child, since they couldn't decide on one. She told them the most ridiculous ones she could come up with, joking until the stars started disappearing from the sky.

The sun has set and left place to the bright moonlight that set shadows where previously had been light.

With a smirk and darkened eyes she turns around to face Serana. “Well... Guess they just weren't cut out to make it huh?” 

A careless chuckle resonated in the night.

“Shame. Though if the weak didn't die, there wouldn't be anything for the strong to take, ain't that right?” Arslan trained her gaze towards the sky, her back turned to the vampire. 

Serana’s gaze didn't waver at the harsh words that escaped the wolf. Instead, she closes the gap between her and the wolf, until she is but a few feet away.  

“If that's what you think... then why are you crying?” Softly the vampire puts a hand on Arslans shoulder. Turning her around so that she faces the creature of the night. 

The young woman was smiling at the vampire, a lost and broken look on her tear stained face. A beat of silence was filled with the howling of wolves in the distance.

“Because... ” A choked sob escapes her. “Telling myself that, is easier than accepting that... the strong rely on the weak more than one would like to believe.”

Serana didn't choose to say anything. Grief and pain were complicated and heavy, one wouldn’t always appreciate or believe one's advice on that matter. So she stayed quiet, holding on to the broken girl's trembling shoulder as she lets tears fall into ashes and snow. 

While they count the stars in the sky, Serana thought she heard a sob come from behind her.

  
  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait... again. Thank you to everyone that is enjoying this story! 
> 
> Good reading!

  


* * *

  


Suffocating. 

She felt like she was suffocating.

Her breathing sped up and if she still would have had a heartbeat, Serana was convinced that it would have  _ stopped. _

She didn't imagine it.

She was sure of it. She felt it the moment they stepped into this place.

A spirit was near. 

She needed to get out of here. She needed to get  _ Arslan  _ away from here.

So that is what she did. 

She didn't turn around, ignoring the piercing gaze she felt behind her back as she tightens her grip on the wolfs shoulder. Her mother had warned her about them during their study sessions. 

Spirit's, especially the ones having suffered such a tragic death, often end up being of the most dangerous kind. They often took it upon themselves to get attached to a living subject. A link to their past life.

She murmurs a soft “Let's go.” hoping that the howling wind would cover the urgency in her voice. She needed to get the wolf away from here, fast. 

Serana was convinced that having the physical representation of one of her deepest regrets haunt her, would eventually drive the girl into madness.

Or rather, even deeper into it.

Arslan had long since stopped her tears, the tracks on her cheeks glistening in the moonlight as she watched the stars above. 

She had wondered briefly how many of her old pack members were part of them.

The voice of the vampire woke her up from her thoughts. 

Was it always this soft or had she just never noticed it? 

Turning around to look at the vampire, she stops dead in her tracks as she sees the look in Seranas glowing eyes. 

Urgency. Concern. Impatience.  _ Fear. _

She raised a brow in a silent question, her lips opening to form the question that burned on the tip of her tongue. 

_ What's wrong? _

She stopped. Words dying out in her throat as it tightens, like a rag being wrung out, it felt like her neck would snap at the pressure. 

There it stood. 

Right behind the vampire.

A small girl. 

A small, ethereal, crying girl. 

“Se... Seran...” The broken mumbles escaping the wolfs trembling lips made the vampires heart ache. “That’s... is that-”

The child had her face burried in her hands, her shoulders moving up and down as sobs tore themselves from her mouth and into the night. They felt like cold iron to Arslans ears. 

“Yes.” The vampire stepped forward, before carefully grabbing Arslan's chin with her fingers, forcing her gaze to stay on her and away from the silently weeping child behind her. “You must not look at her. Just look at me, alright? I'll lead you over the debris, just keep your eyes on me.” 

She involuntarily tightened the grip on the girl's chin, as the girl loudly sobbed behind her, making the wolf physically wince. Serana was sure that Arslan wouldn't have hesitated to break her arm in any other situation, but the imperial was way too much out of it to care. She loosened her grip and shot her an apologetic look. The wolf looked more vulnerable than ever right now. The girl had gone pale, her eyes struggling to stay on the vampire rather than on the child and her breathing was growing more uneven by the minute. 

She gave a weak nod that Serana would have surely missed, had she not been studying the girl like a hawk. 

With that, the vampire slowly guided Arslan over the obstacles laying in their way back to the front of the house, making sure that her gaze wouldn't leave hers. 

She had never seen a look quite like the one Arslan had at the moment. It was fearful, but not like the kind their cattle back at the castle had. No, it was closest to the fear a soldier would have, after coming home from a war. The fear that the past would eventually catch up to them, leaving them screaming in the middle of the night, covered in sweat as they try to wash off the invisible blood on their hands. 

Her regret was standing right in front of her. 

Mocking her sanity and taking the remains of it while they are at it. 

The sobbing grew louder and louder as they neared what was once the entrance to the family home. Broken cries of  _ don't go  _ and  _ wait  _ tore through the air like rusted daggers. The deafening pleads had Arslan shudder and trip over the blackened wood by her feet. Her grip on the vampires arms tightens and Serana almost winced at her display of strength.

No seeing any other way to calm the girl down, Serana pressed the girl's head against her chest, softly whispering words laced with her seduction powers, that they are almost out, that she is _ okay _ . She was only mildly surprised at the girl's compliance, who only slightly resisted as the vampire tugged her towards her, nearly embracing the wolf. But it certainly worked. The wolf's shoulders were still tense but her breathing was deeper now, more even. 

Serana wasn't sure why she did all of this. She didn't know why she was so protective of the girl, even going as far as offering something that could be considered as physical comfort. In any other situation she would have left. Left the girl to her own devices. She saved her once already, why do it twice? She would have considered her weak. Too weak to handle some mistakes made in the past. But she couldn’t bring herself to think that. Hell, she didn't even consider it. To her, the girl was strong. Not only in the physical aspect but also mentally. Sure,  she did have her flaws. Being selfish, greedy, self-centered and cocky in some cases. But she was also clever, careful, calculating, and  _ fierce _ . Serana also knew that, somewhere deep down, the wolf wasn't a bad person. As much as she tried to act like one, she still had cracks in her persona. The one she finds most amusing is that she is always making sure that Serana isn't out in the sun for too long. Going as far as to try to find excuses like “I heard that there's treasure in that cave. Let's check it out." or “Let's walk in the woods, I'm bored and want to throw pine cones at birds”. And the fact that she's slowly but surely learning to trust Serana to some extend, makes the vampire incapable of giving up on her. Giving up on the progress she made. Never having anyone else but mice and rats to talk to did that to someone.  

She knew that the girl would be outraged, maybe even disgusted, would she only have been in the the right state of mind. But Serana didn't care. She didn't and wouldn't care if the girl was to be angry with her afterwards, she had the right to, afterall. But she wouldn't let be face this demon, this was not the right time or setting to be confronted with her past more then she was already forced to. Besides, she still needed to get home, and she would appreciate it if her guide had at least a little bit on sanity left in her for the journey.

The moment their feet touched the path before the house, the deafening crying stopped abruptly. The silence was more then welcome and the sigh of relief escaping the vampire was proof of it. A quick glance proves that the girl was still quietly leaning on the vampires bust. Serana just now truly noticed the height difference between the two, being almost half a head taller than the imperial. She held back a smile at the thought. 

The exhaustion was radiating off of her in waves, her shoulders were sagged and her breathing slow and deep. The vampire loosens the arm around the wolf's midriff, that had kept her firmly pressed against her. Though still kept her hand on the girl's waist in case she needed the support. 

Slowly, the imperial detached herself from Serana, moving back to put a minimal amount of distance between them. The messy hair of the girl was hanging down as she looked at the floor, studying the moss covered path they stood on. 

The roads were empty, not even the guards seemed to be patrolling this part of town. The previously ruthless wind had calmed down too, becoming a cool breeze that made their hair sway to an invisible melody. 

“I... It was her...wasn't it?” The wolf said, her voice raw and low, almost getting lost between the rustling of the trees in the distance. 

Serana frowned at the display of sorrow and grief before her. 

“Maybe...?” She was surprised at how unsure she sounded herself. 

“I left when I was around eighteen. That was six years ago. Back then they expected the child to be born in a matter of weeks...” She raised her gaze, her eyes meeting the vampires glowing ones. “Serana... They begged me to stay for it's...  _ her _ birth.” 

A shaking breath left her blue lips.

“I didn't. I left one night, leaving a note and a pouch filled with gold on their bedside table. It was one of the first times I stole something.” Serana was watching the girl as she recalled the memory, her gaze never wavering from her hazel eyes. “ I broke into a pirate ship that was docking here for a few days...took as much as I could carry and blamed it on one of the crewmembers.” 

A small smirk found its way on her face and for Serana, it felt like the first one in forever. 

“Heard that they made him work at the farm until he paid back what he took.” A small chuckle escaped her and Serana smirks at the thought of a big bad pirate chasing chickens in order to pay back Arslans debt. 

But she was curious about one thing. 

“Why did you leave?” 

The girls smile turned bitter. 

“I was... in the way.” She looked away towards the house in the distance, averting her eyes as soon as it came into contact. “They had their own family and lives... I was only a dog that found her way to the hold, famished and lost. They might have taken me in but... I was never meant to have a part in their lives. So when the kid was about to be born, I started to notice things. For example, how small the food portions were for us three. How small the living space was, and how tired the couple really was after coming home from work in the evening...” 

The wolf shook her head at the memories. Trying to clear her head before she got lost in them. 

“ I felt like intruding all if a sudden. I tried to tell them, make them throw me out but they wouldn't, telling me that I'm in for the ride now, want it or not.” She smiles fondly and Serana couldn't stop looking at the beautiful display of nostalgia and pain in front of her. “So I got some gold, enough to help them with the necessities needed for the cub and... I left. Took a boat and sailed East where I ended up in Windhelm. From there I moved south and found my way to Riften where I met the gang.” 

She looks around the empty streets, gaze staying on a guard patrolling in the distance. “Haven't been in these parts much ever since. Rarely, for a job.” 

The silence that came after the last phrase was unsure in nature. It was comfortable but also left place to more questions Serana was burning to ask. She held them in though, since Arslan was faster then her.

“Sorry... I don't know why I'm telling you this.” She chuckles dryly, looking past the vampire and towards the docks, watching the boats sway with the waves. “I'm just your guide afterall.”

The truth was that Arslan was much more than just a  _ guide  _ at this point. To Serana at least. The wolf had grown on her, becoming the first true outside company she had in a  _ long  _ time. Hell, she had her pressed into her bust, for Talos sake. Being herself, she couldn't hold back the jab.

“Guide huh? And here I thought having you pressed into my breasts would at  _ least _ make us friends. Guess I was wrong, you guides are all the same, truly.” She said with an amused twinkle in her red eyes, as she feigned disappointment. 

Arslan chuckled out loud at that, her voice was still raw and rough, but the sound of it still made Serana grin. Though, her smile dropped when she saw just how close they stood next to each other this whole time. Eyes widening suddenly, she moves to put some distance between them only to be stopped by the vampires hand on her waist. 

_ Was it there this whole time?  _ Not having noticed the appendage was very unusual for the girl. She wasn't fond of physical contact, since the scars she has have made her very sensible to others touch.  And yet she didn't even notice the vampires hand. This whole evening left her exhausted.

“Oh... sorry.” Serana quickly let go of the wolf, putting some distance between the two. 

Looking away uncomfortably, Arslan clears her throat. “It's fine.” 

Serana tried to decipher the wolfs expression, coming up empty as she hid it under a curtain of black hair. 

“I...” The wolf spoke up slowly, testing the word like it somehow felt foreign to her. “I don't know what to say.” 

“Well that's a first.” Serana said, hoping to lift the tension a bit. It worked, the wolf grinning and rolling her eyes at her.

“Quiet, old lady.” Serana raised a brow in mock offense at that, deciding to let it slide as she spoke up again. “Listen. I'm not good at dealing with... certain things.” 

“I've noticed.” The vampire said dryly, smirking as the wolf rolled her eyes again. 

“Well, I just want to tell you that, I... appreciate, what you did for me.” At that the wolf looked Serana straight into the eyes. She thought it was the most serious she had ever seen the girl, in the short amount of time they have been together at least. 

Before Serana could respond she was interrupted. “Not only what you did...  _ there, _ but also for everything else.” 

At that the girl looked away again. “You saved me from freezing like a moron, fixed my armor and...” She took a deep breath. “Anyone else would have given up on me. And yet you didn't, you even helped me with...that. You did that so it wouldn't get attached to me right? The spirit I mean...” 

She looked at Serana who nodded slowly.

“I read that they could do that. I don't know what I would have done if that happened.” 

But Arslan knew that it would have involved a noose. 

The vampire was surprised that the girl would tell her all of this. She thought that the girl would brush off what happened with a dumb joke and never address it again. Yet here she was, thanking her. 

_ Why _

“Why?” 

Arslan looked up hesitantly at the vampire, curiosity and carefulness shining in her eyes. Serana didn't expect the question to be aimed at her.

“What do you mean?” 

“Why aren't you giving up on me? Why do you help me every time something happens? I'm not worth the trouble.” The seriousness and curiosity in the girl's words took her by surprise. She thinks she is not worth it? 

“Why do you think that?” Serana says after the initial surprise faded. 

“Well... I'm a thief. A dirty werewolf. A coward and a selfish bastard who, may I remind you, left Dawnstar to burn when I could have done something,  _ anything _ to help them.” Anger and bitterness hid the confusion and lost edge to her tone well. But Serana still heard it. 

“And I'm a vampire. Besides, may  _ I  _ remind you that I left them to burn too?” 

A frustrated growl left Arslans mouth at that. 

“Yes but that's different! You're different! I wanted to steal your scoll for heaven's sake! I was only nice to you so that I could grab it when you weren't looking!” She was now pacing like a madwoman. “Doesn't that bother you!?” 

She was nearly screaming now. And for a moment Serana was afraid a guard would hear and come investigate what the commotion was about. 

“No.” She simply said. Her calm demeanour only rilling Arslan up even more. 

“No?! What do you mean  _ no?! _ ” Serana was looking at the lost and furious look in her moonlit eyes, and she couldn't help but smirk at the girl. 

“You would have done it by now, if you really meant it.” Arslan stopped dead in her tracks at that. 

_ Got her.  _ Serana thought as the words fell from her cold lips. 

“You had more than one opportunity to do it, yet you didn't. While I was pinned down by that frost troll, you could have left, but you didn't. And even after, while i was resting?” She shrugged “You didn't take it.” 

“I... I wasn't sure if you were-" Arslan tried to say, but Serana cut her off with a huff. 

“Oh please, I was out cold, we both know it. Point is... you're not as bad as you try to be. Sure, you're a greedy thief, but you still have a conscience. And... you're the first person I met outside of my home. Yes, I might have been distrustful at first, but I like to think that we've grown past that point.” 

Arslan was speechless, opening her mouth but no words came out. A grin appeared on the vampires lips and she added. 

“Plus, like I said... I had you against my bust. In my book that makes us friends.” The wink she added made the wolf visibly flustered. She smirks as the wolf turns around hiding her blush. 

“...Fine. You want a friend that badly? Well, you got one now. Good luck living with that regret.” She said so lowly that Serana almost missed it. 

The wolf looked back at her, a small grin forming as she sees the satisfied look Serana hides behind a playful smirk. 

“I'm sure I can handle it.” 

“Well... we will just have to find out huh?” 

The vampire chuckles at that, as she walks past the girl, heading towards the Inn. 

“Indeed we will,  _ friend.”  _

With a shake of her head and a last longing look at the burned ruin behind her, the wolf follows the vampire towards the Inn.

_ This is going to be interesting indeed. _ She thought as Serana smirked at her from the stop of the stairs, leaning on the door to the Inn. 

_ Very interesting indeed. _  
  
  



End file.
